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On a Somber Note…

On a somber note, amidst all the hooplah surrounding the release of “The Dark Knight Rises” over the past few days, I’d just like to ask everyone to keep the victims of Colorado’s “Batman Massacre” in your thoughts throughout the day.

Cinema has always been a means of escape, for me and countless millions around the world. We may, at times, find ourselves enjoying the spectacle of costume, fantasy, whimsy, sex, and often violence. But when something like this happens and is directly connected to the industry we love so much, everything stops being fun. The spectacle becomes the news coverage of such a horrid event, our arena of joy, for a moment, becomes one of darkness, confusion, and pain.

Please, do not let these senseless acts keep you from the theater this weekend. Spit in the face of these acts and show the industry’s resilience.

As a lifelong cinephile and PR rep for a studio, I am deeply saddened that people were harmed consuming the medium I’ve spent my entire life loving and a product I’ve spent the past few weeks promoting. These people were no different than you or I; fellow chasers of the celluloid dream, defenseless as they indulged in the type of fantasy we’ve all formed a healthy addiction to. To prey upon those who have suspended their everyday lives and wits about them to absorb the fantasy of what’s on the screen in front of them is an act of cowardice far too pathetic to describe. A sucker punch none of the victims saw coming.

Please, if you do anything today, send thoughts, prayers, well-wishes; anything in the vein of positivity to all those affected by today’s tragedy.

And please, I say this as a person who could have just as easily been one of those people sitting in that audience, not caring what was onscreen, just happy to be at the movies; please, go to your local theater this weekend. Support the business, and by all means, don’t let nightmares like this deter you from the dream.